By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
A few weeks ago, Milan was a shadow of themselves.
However, after the last game of this double week, they have an 8-6 record and are tied for the sixth and ninth spots in the standings with Panathinaikos, Barcelona, and Zalgiris Kaunas.
The final score was 92-84 with the Italians closing the game correctly.
Zach LeDay and Nikola Mirotic with 17 points each were the top scorers of the winning side, Armoni Brooks added 14 points and Nico Mannion had 11.
“It would be stupid to say that anybody expected that,” coach Ettore Messina said to EuroLeague TV after the game commenting his team having seven wins in the last eight games.
“But I saw them coming to practice every day even in the darkest days very seriously. Usually when you work with togetherness and without pointing fingers and you take responsibility, good things happen.”
ASVEL got 24 points by spectacular Theo Maledon, Joffrey Lauvergne had 19 points, and Andre Roberson 13 as the French side had to settle for a 5-9 record.
Milan wasn’t rattled this time
ASVEL led for most of the first period, but Milan trailed by two (20-18) at the end.
The French side with Lauvergne scoring 11 early points was up 29-24 after three minutes in the second period.
Milan trimmed the lead to one (31-30) and started a push with a 7-2 run to get back in front (37-33). At halftime, the home team was up by five (41-36) with Maledon scoring 10 first-half points for ASVEL and Zach LeDay 11 for Milan.
The Italians led by seven (48-41) in the third period, however, ASVEL reacted and got up by one (59-58), still at the end of the quarter, Milan had the advantage again (63-61).
With six unanswered points, the hosts built an eight-point cushion (69-61) and once again ASVEL didn’t give up, despite Milan pushing the lead to 10 (76-66).
Theo Maledon made it a two-point game (85-82) with 1.29 left but Milan closed the game the right way with a 7-2 run.
Photo credit: EuroLeague